Several smokers in Sibiu paid their last respect to smoking. Gathered in a café in the city they lit 200 cigarettes and then set them on a mortuary wreath as if they were candles. They also wrote on the wreath “Last respects to smoking” as a protest against the anti-smoking law which becomes effective as of today, March 16.
The smoking ‘wake’ lasted until the smokers finished the last cigarettes.
“We’ll keep the wreath a day or two until the fir tree gets faded. My employees placed the wreath to have some fun, but it was a good advertising tool. Smoking is a gesture action for our customers. I haven’t been smoking for two years, but I am not pleased with this ban, customers aren’t either,” the café’s owner told Agerpres.
The café is known as a rendezvous for the city’s artists.
The anti-smoking law was published in the Official Gazette on February 1st after being promulgated by the Romanian President and became operative on Wednesday.
The law forbids smoking ‘in any space available to the public or destined to the collective use, regardless of the type of property.’ It will apply to any space which has a roof, ceiling and which is confined by at least two walls, no matter if they are temporary or permanent.
At the same time, the anti-smoking law will be in force also at work and at any playground for children, be it close or open-air one, as well as across the means of public transportation, medical and educational units or those which house child welfare institutions.
Cells in maximum-security penitentiaries will be exempted, as well as special smoking rooms in the international airports’ transit areas.
The law also bans the sale of tobacco products in medical and education units, as well as the retail of cigarettes, cigars and cigarillos.
Physical persons breaking the law face a fine ranging for RON 100 to RON 500, while juridical persons face higher fines: RON 5,000 at the first offence and RON 10,000 with activity suspension at the second offence. If you break the law for the third time, you risk a RON 15,000 fine and authorities are entitled to close down the unit for good.
At present, 17 out in 28 EU member states are completely banning smoking in enclosed public spaces, at work and public transportation.
Read also: http://www.romaniajournal.ro/how-do-romanians-see-the-upcoming-smoking-ban/
The post Smoking ban into force. Original ‘last respects’ to smoking in Sibiu appeared first on The Romania Journal.